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[alkhimia2i]

[Being holed up in a safehouse as she is, Ana is a little short on stimulating conversation. As much as she might want to resist engaging in this strange magical cellphone, she doesn't hold out for too long. After all, from what she can tell, these people have no idea who she is.

What she posts comes in two pieces, the first a series of lines in Arabic text followed by a helpful translation in English. The second piece is commentary.]

ﺃﺩﻣﻨﺖ ﺍﺣﺰﺍﻧﻲ
ﻓﺼﺮﺕ ﺍﺧﺎﻑ ﺍﻥ ﻻ ﺍﺣﺰﻧﺎ
ﻭﻃﻌﻨﺖ ﺁﻻﻓﺎ ﻣﻦ ﺍﻟﻤﺮﺍﺕ
ﺣﺘﻰ ﺻﺎﺭ ﻳﻮﺟﻌﻨﻲ ﺑﺎﻥ ﻻ ﺍﻃﻌﻨﺎ
ﻭﻟﻌﻨﺖ ﻓﻲ ﻛﻞ ﺍﻟﻠﻐﺎﺕ
ﺣﺘﻰ ﺻﺎﺭ ﻳﻘﻠﻘﻨﻲ ﺑﺎﻥ ﻻ ﺍﻟﻌﻨﺎ
ﻭﻟﻘﺪ ﺗﺸﺎﺑﻬﺖ ﻛﻞ ﺍﻟﺒﻼﺩ
ﻓﻼ ﺍﺭﻯ ﻧﻔﺴﻲ ﻫﻨﺎﻙ، ﻭﻻ ﺍﺭﻯ ﻧﻔﺴﻲ ﻫﻨﺎ

I was addicted to my sorrows,
Until I became scared of not being sorrowful.
And I was stabbed thousands of times,
Until it felt painful not to be stabbed.
And I was cursed in all the languages,
Until I became nervous of not being cursed.
And all the countries seemed the same,
in that I neither see myself there, nor do I see myself here.


I came across this while reading, so I thought I might share it. No particular reason, except than I found it to be moving. I wouldn't mind hearing your opinions.

Comments

un: wardenka

[boundinblood]

"Moving" is right. It's so easy to be in pain for so long, an offer of respite seems suspicious.

It reminds me strongly of people I know, and the person I once was. I know I'm not the only one.

[alkhimia2i]

My apologies that you've had that experience. But you're right, it can be difficult to trust when you've already set your expectations.

Are there other here like that?

[boundinblood]

From the responses you've had already, I would say there definitely are. The people I know that I was thinking of, sadly, haven't been given a device like this.

Is that another reason for sharing this, to find other people who could say the same?

[She assumes the other can relate to it, too - after all, it seems like an odd thing to share without personal connection to it.]

[alkhimia2i]

[Another person who seems to think that the poem was a reference to herself... Well, she did set herself up for that by posting it out of the blue.]

I guess I've given that impression, haven't I? But I'm afraid not. The poem was simply something I was reading.

I can understand the sentiment behind it, though. And I have sympathy for those who have dealt with it. I just hadn't realized that it would strike a chord with so many.

[boundinblood]

Even if it doesn't have personal meaning to someone, I feel like people like us - those here who do relate to it...we almost always touch the lives of someone who doesn't understand it.

Poetry and song are sometimes more effective at encouraging understanding than any explanation.

[alkhimia2i]

Poetry and song are more felt than heard. Words have a way of not being enough, when trying to explain matters of the heart and mind. Or anything else, really.

[boundinblood]

Very true. I wish I had the inclination for it, myself. If only as a better way to express myself, at least.